Salzburg businesses move to cut food waste as costs rise

Hotels, restaurants and large kitchens are working to reduce food waste, with roughly 13 to 14 percent of meals served in hospitality and hotels discarded, ORF reported.

Figures from the organisation United Against Waste show that hospitals and care homes throw away between a fifth and almost a third of the food they prepare. An average restaurant discards about 5,000 kilograms of food waste a year, while hospital kitchens can produce around five tonnes a month, project manager Johannes Godler said.

Businesses and industry representatives discussed ways to reduce waste at an event organised by Umwelt Service Salzburg in the Gastein Valley, in the Pongau region. At Hotel Norica in Bad Hofgastein, staff now replenish the buffet only as needed, use refillable containers and dispensers to reduce packaging, and serve smaller dinner portions. Hotel manager Hubertus Czerny said guests had responded well and rarely asked for extra helpings.

Hotel Alpenblick in Bad Gastein focuses on communication between kitchen and service staff. Feedback about uneaten side dishes or unpopular meals is passed to the head chef so quantities can be adjusted. The hotel says it now needs fewer rubbish bins and orders food less often or in smaller amounts.

Rising food prices are also encouraging businesses to waste less, experts said. An average business could save about 40,000 euros a year by reducing food waste, while also conserving resources.